Harm none and do thy will

How Wicca Works

Wicca generally teaches that the individual controls their own destiny and does not teach the need for intercession between the practicioner and the fulfillment of their will. There is therefore no confession or exorcism. This is a very significant differentiator between Wicca and all mainstream religions which have priests whose status is more than mere expertise as is the case in Wicca. For most Wiccans there is no action that cannot be carried out by one Wiccan that cannot be carried out by any other Wiccan, even sharing of bread and wine. Beginners or unknown individuals also often play central roles in the casting of circles without anyone being particularly concerned whether they are even Wiccans. Everything is constrained by the credibility of the individual. This can cause complications. This website for example cannot be a definitive definition of Wicca, it takes its place alongside all other material and it is the sysnthesis of that material that defines Wicca. It cannot however be declared definitively as not Wiccan no matter what it says becuase no individual has the power to define this – everything depends on credibility.

Many Wiccans utilise deities to achieve that which they cannot achieve alone. Within the circles that are cast by Wiccans they call on their support in order to achieve their personal will. This is termed magic in the Wiccan tradition. Circles utilise ritual to build an magical atmosphere prior to calling on these deities.

In order for the individual to achieve their will it first needs to be determined and wished for. The key is that rather than wishing for the abstract fulfillment of will the motivation or capability to carry out the acts required is generally what is wished for. This is sometimes accompanied by visualisation exercises. Often these wishes are accompanied by acts such as placing coins into water, writing and burning the wish, burning a candle whilst thinking of the wish etc. These actions are sometiomes referred to as spells. Additionally various ingredients are used in some situations to achieve certain things. It is not, however, necessary to have special forms of word or cast spells for these actions to be effective, and many Wiccans do not cast spells. A key issue for Wiccans is working out what to wish for. If you wish for something and visualise it, and therefore the blocks to it occuring, you increase the chance of it occuring if it is under your control. There is a widespread taboo in Wicca about casting spells for things that are outside your direct control, especially if they are against the will of another person.